The Arena District, North Market and Park Street

The Arena District

Directly north and west of downtown Columbus lies the Arena District. Starting with the opening of Nationwide Arena in 2000, home to the National Hockey League’s Columbus Blue Jackets, the Arena District has sprung up into a vibrant neighborhood filled with restaurants, bars, condos and offices. Nationwide Arena and Express Live host concerts from some of the nation’s biggest acts (often the only stops these premier acts book in Ohio) while the Columbus Clippers, the AAA affiliate of the Cleveland Indians, have hit a home run with their family-friendly Huntington Park. Dining ranges from the unique like Nada with Mexican cuisine, to the familiar beer and pub fare at Gordon Biersch, while hockey fans will find a raucous home at R Bar.

The North Market and Park Street

At the northern end of the district, the North Market is home to 35 local vendors that display the best of the local food scene. Shop for spices, produce, meat and kitchenwares, and choose from Vietnamese, Indian, Belgian, Polish, Mexican, vegetarian, fried chicken and more for an outstanding breakfast, lunch or dinner. Treat yourself with a scoop from the original Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams or a craft cocktail from The Barrel and Bottle. Adjacent to the North Market, the clubs and bars on Park Street are a mainstay of Columbus’ nightlife scene.